Foldable table



March 1, 1938. J. KOWALSKI 2,110,068

FOLDABLE TABLE Filed Nov. 30, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Jblzrz Ko zaalakz' av whyam ll Patented Mar. 1, 1938 ETE STATES ATE QFFECE 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to foldable tables presenting a structure which may be converted from a table or cabinet of a minimum size to that of a table having a top of an appreciably larger area.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a table structure which in folded condition presents a compact cabinet form serving as a small article of furniture and including a series of drop leaves associated with the table structure so as to be readily extensible to form a table top of large area which may be employed for example, as a card table.

Another object resides in the provision of a collapsible table including a standard or base having a series of wing members swingably mounted thereon, and a series of drop leaves hingedly carried on the wing members to be supported by same in extended position, the entire structure being so arranged as to be foldable into a compact cabinet form.

A further object is toprovide means associated with the foldable table by which the various top supporting elements may be simultaneously moved by actuation of one of the elements thereby to facilitate enlargement or folding of the table structure.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from a consideration of the fol lowing detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the application.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device in extended condition for use as a tab-1e, one of the top members being partly folded.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device completely folded, portions thereof being broken away to illustrate the connection of the extensible members.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the table structure partly extended and illustrating the preferred means for co-actively extending the top supporting elements.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view partly in elevation, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the modified form of table in extended condition; and

Fig. '7 is a horizontal sectional view taken below the top of the table shown in Fig. 5, and illustrating the foldable members of same in folded and extended positions.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings same comprises a central structure or standard to which is hinged a series of swingable members or wings, the latter including a series of drop leaves hingedly mounted thereon to form' an extended table of large area.

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description thereof, the numeral 5 indicates the central structure or standard presenting a polygonal form, preferably square in cross section, and supporting thereon a top 6. For each vertical side of the standard 5 is provided a swingable member or wing l hingedly mounted on a vertical axis preferably to the corner of the standard 5. To the top edge of each of the wings I is hinged a drop leaf 8 so that same may be folded against the wing I when the table structure is to be collapsed.

With the device in folded condition as illustrated in Fig. 2 the several drop leaves 8 are each folded down against the respective wings I, the latter being extended from the standard 5. The wings I are then each folded against the respective sides of the standard 5 to form a compact structure in which the drop leaves 8 are concealed within the enclosure of the Wings 7 and the latter defines a wall structure in conformity to the outline of the top 6.

To extend the table to the form shown in Fig. 1 the series of wings I are each folded out to be extended substantially at right angles to the respective sides of the standard 5. The bottom corner of each of the wings I is projected to provide a foot To for contact with the floor in support of the extended table. Each of the drop leaves 8 is raised to horizontal position so that its free end rests on the top edge of the adjoining wing T; To secure this engagement suitable means are provided such as a pin 9 extending from the bottom of each drop leaf 8 to be received in a notch formed in the wing 1. In this manner, the several drop leaves 8, in extended condition to form an enlarged table, are disposed relative to each other so that a longitudinal edge of one of the leaves 8 abuts an end of the adjoining leaf 8, the series of leaves so extended presenting an annular surface completely surrounding the central top 6 and in coplanar relation to same.

To facilitate extension and collapsing of the table structure the device illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 is provided. To the bottom area of the standard is rotatably mounted a disc I I carried on a stud l2 secured to the standard 5. To the periphery of the disc II is connected a series of links IS, the respective free ends of which are each secured to one of the Wings 7 preferably at the bottom edge thereof. It will be apparent that by actuation of one of the wings I, the disc M will be rotated and thereby the remaining wings will be coactively moved so that the extension or folding of the table may be accomplished with appreciable facility.

The modified form of the foldable table illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 is substantially similar to the first form of the invention except that the wings or swingable elements and the drop leaves hingedly mounted to the wings are arranged to fold against opposed sides of the standard, thus permitting the use of the interior of the cabinet for containing books or like articles. The numeral l indicates generally the central structure or standard of the modified form, the same being constructed to present recesses l6 and/or,

drawers H for containing sundry articles. The front and back Walls of the standard l5 are extended laterally as indicated at l8 to form recesses it at opposed sides of the standard l5. On the respective wall extensions I8 is hingedly mounted wings 20 and 2!, the same being arranged to be disposed in extended position substantially as illustrated in Fig. 6. On each of the wings 20 and 2! is hingedly mounted, preferably to the top edge thereof, a drop leaf 22.

In extending the cabinet shown in Fig. 5 for use as a table as illustrated in Fig. 6, each of the Wings 25) and 2| are swung out toproject substantially at right angles from the respective vertical surface of the standard l5. Each of the drop leaves 22 is thereafter raised into coplanar position with'the central top 24 carried on the standard 15, the free end of the drop leaves 22 being disposed to rest on the adjoining wing thereby forming an enlarged table top.

It will be apparent by reference to Figs. 5 and 7 that with the table structure in folded condition, the extensible wings and drop leaves are all nested within the respective recesses IS. The Wings 2! form a concealing cover over the respective recesses l9 having at their free edges a lip 23 extending from same to completely enclose the folding members within the standard I5.

It is to be understood that this improvement is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawings nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as donot affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A foldable table comprising in combination a standard, a top of polygonal outline supported on said standard, a series of wings pivotally mounted for swinging on a vertical axis on said standard, and a series of leaves hingedly conbe disposed in coplanar relation to said top, the

free end of each of said leaves resting on an adjoining wing in abutting relation to an adjoining leaf, each of said leaves having a detent extending therefrom for engagement with a recess in an adjoining wing.

3. A foldable table comprising in combination .a standard of substantially rectangular cross section defining a pair of adjacent corners, a pair of wings hingedly mounted to the respective corners and adapted to be swung into overlapping relation therebetween, and a pair of leaves flexibly connected to the top edge of the respective wings to be swung to horizontal position thereon in abutting, coplanar relation to an adjoining wing.

l. A foldable table comprising in combination a standard of substantially rectangular cross section having opposed sides, a plurality of pairs of wings hingedly mounted to opposed edges of the respective sides, each pair of wings being adapted to be swung into overlapping relation over said side, and a leaf flexibly connected to the top edge of each of said wings in juxtaposition therewith and adapted to be swung to horizontal position thereon in abutting coplanar relation to an adjoining leaf so as toform an annulus surrounding said standard.

JOHN KOWALSKI. 

